Special Assignment
by lovelymayor
Summary: Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps find themselves in formal attire on assignment to monitor Zootopia's new mayor. *The narrator of this story is purposefully unnamed to keep the audience guessing.
1. Chapter 1

**18:00 Hours - Zootopia Police Department, Precinct One**

"Nick! We can't."

"Uh uh, right, then we can't solve this case either."

"It's not a case!"

"It's a case, carrots. Now, do you have your garter belt on?

"Yes."

"Did you put your gun in it?"

"...Yes."

"Thatta girl. Okay Jude, let's go."

The details of the case were tenuous. Investigate the mayor - at this point it seemed like a formality, a necessary evil of modern Zootopian life. The last two mayors weren't very... Let's just say they weren't on the up and up.

It had been a year since the Night Howler Incident. Zootopia, as much as it had recovered, still bore the scars of those months spent engulfed in a conflagration of fear and prejudice. In some ways, it was still divided. Officers Hopps and Wilde saw this manifest in organized anti-predator protests, riots, and rhetoric from talking snouts who thought they knew better than the average mammal.

That election cycle was tough. Rushed, to fill the office, and full of pandering. Pandering to the fears of the mammals and of individual species as if trying to separate them. But one candidate? She had campaigned on unity. Togetherness. Returning to a proud Zootopia, and improving on things from there. I had to admit, I liked her.

As much as you can like a politician.

But really, she talked a good game. What was her campaign slogan again? Oh, right. "Canidae cares." It really seemed liked she did. Goodness knows I suffered the kind of discrimination she rallied against. What kind of free city would it be if "certain" mammals couldn't have "certain" jobs? On that, at least, I agreed with her. That made it all the more disconcerting with Bogo assigned Nick and Judy to the case. An "unofficial" case.

Judy wasn't really into it. "You want us to tail the Mayor?" She said, her little frown knitting her brow. She must've liked her more than Nick did. But Bogo? Bogo wasn't having it.

In typical big lug fashion, he replied, "I don't need to repeat myself, you obviously heard me. You're no new arrival anymore, Hopps. You'll do it because I trust you to do it." That got her. Her ears went down like she was seeing god, and it was all Nick could do to go along with it, even if he didn't like it either. Funny how the chief could win her over with three words.

I wonder what other three words could affect her that much?

Before they knew it, Nick and Judy were investigating the mayor beyond city hall's back, tailing her to try and prevent Bellwether Part Two from happening under their noses.

 **19:00 hours - Outside the Lycaon Bar & Grill**

Downtown Zootopia was home to countless fine dining destinations, and the mayor, Canidae, was no stranger to them. She was, you could say, a connoisseur of elegant eating. Nick, meanwhile, was eager to get his paws on some three Micelin star food and have the department pay for it.

"I'd hardly call this plainclothes." Nick chuckled as he stepped out of the plain vehicle he and Judy had arrived in. His eyes couldn't help but drift to Judy's attire - the way the dress had a slit to reveal her powerful legs was hard to miss. Nick's tail swished as he took a knee, knowing without a word that Judy would want to fix his bow tie.

"It's all crooked, where'd you learn to dress yourself?" Judy chided, deftly fixing Nick's tie before patting him on the chest. The silk of his tuxedo felt good on her fingers. She lingered for just a moment there in front of him before turning away. She pushed both paws back over her ears to ensure they'd stay down - the last thing they wanted were those antenna-ears drawing attention.

"Nick, have you ever eaten here before?"

"Uh, no - pretty sure they don't accept crumpled handfuls of hustled cash."

"Hmmm... Hope I don't use the wrong fork."

The interior of the restaurant glowed like a warm oven. If orange was supposed to make mammals hungry, the decor was making these folk starve. The walls were a textured white and light orange, crown moulding giving them a sophisticated look while the white tablecloths, made to look like pearl from the warm light given off by chandeliers and candles, meant spilling food was a no-no. To Nick, this all felt like a hustle - and he couldn't help but grin as the maitre'd led him and Judy to a table for two.

"Would you stop grinning?" Judy said in a hushed tone as she sat down across from Nick. "Do you have eyes on the mayor?" She had a habit of asking him what he saw while out in the field. His added height gave him a bit of an advantage over her.

"I'll stop grinning when you stop liking it." Nick fired back, eyes down on the open menu in front of him. "Ooh! Lemon-braised sole. Carrots, you sure you wanna stay a vegetarian? Let's see what they have for you. Sautéed carrots in sage butter. Good stuff, hope you enjoy."

Judy rolled her eyes. This early into the night and she was already so done. As Nick continued reading the menu aloud, she turned, peering around. Most of the tables were for larger mammals - bears and rhinos, a horse or two. Still, Judy could see a few tables for mice and voles. A quick scan yielded fruit - the mayor was sitting to their twelve o'clock, across the table from a wolf.

Mayor Canidae was a wolf too, but the timber-colored fellow across from her was a good eight inches taller than her. From what Judy could see, they were on a date. She paused, using her peripheral vision to keep the mayor in her sights. Judy admired her; that's why she felt like she and Nick should be giving her the benefit of the doubt instead of following her around. Preemptive crime solving. Was the future really the ZPD's jurisdiction?

Judy smiled to herself as she watched the mayor. A black-furred wolf, always in refined, elegant clothing that made Judy a bit jealous with how well she pulled it all off. Her eyes were in the fuchsia spectrum, and she had hair to match. The hair was a stunner - long and pink. She wore it in buns with little pins holding them together, the rest hanging down her neck. Judy hoped she looked as good in her thirties.

"Got the directional mic, Nick?" Judy asked, still keeping her eyes on the mayor.

Nick, not even looking up from his menu, pulled a carrot pen from his pocket and set it on the table, pointing in the mayor's direction. He reached up to scratch his ear and adjust the listening device inside. "Got it, Jude."

Judy turned back to face Nick, and opened her own menu so as not to look suspicious. A fuzzy humming in her ear switched over to an amplification of the table several meters away. She heard the voices of the mayor and her date.


	2. Chapter 2

**18:30 hours - Inside the Lycaon Bar & Grill**

"You're an absolutely gorgeous wolf, you know that?" Wow, even I wouldn't lay it on that thick. Just who did this guy think he was?

Aurelina smiled politely. "Now now Mister Fangschild, I'm sure you tell that to all the mayors."

Across the table, the timber wolf began to say a reply before the waiter, a sleek African wild dog, approached to take their orders.

"I'll have the bug steak tartare. She'll have… Here we go, the braised greens with pinenut puree. We're omnivores, aren't we, dear? Bring us a bottle of wine."

The water nodded and took both menus. From where he was seated, Nick could see the table clearly. Mayor Canidae looked a little… ah, angry that the man had the audacity to order for her. Particularly something so insultingly sparse as a few greens. Who on earth could be satisfied by a few greens? Oh, right. Judy.

Speaking of Judy. She was thumping her foot against the floor, trying to remain calm and collected despite what she felt what as improper investigation. Food was an afterthought, but the smell of those sage butter carrots was undeniable. For a moment, since the other table seemed not to be discussing anything incriminating at the moment, she turned her attention back to Nick and to her plate.

"Nick; you think they're dating, or is it some kind of business meeting?" She asked, stabbing a fork into a slice of carrot as she rolled her knowledge of the mayor around in her head. Highly educated. From a rich family. Formerly a member of Zootopia city council under Mayors Lionheart and Bellwether.

"Usually, Carrots, when two mammals go to one of the most expensive and romantic restaurants in town, sit across from each other at a table, and pay each other doting compliments – they're on a date. By the way, you look good in that dress. Real hot stuff." He smirked, detecting Judy's mild discomfort at wearing such a revealing strapless gown.

Judy gave Nick a flat look of judgment before continuing to think out loud. "Hmm. What was it Clawhauser always says about dating?"

"Somefoxes and somebunnies are meant to be together?"

"No."

"Don't write checks your ass can't cash?"

"No! Wilde!"

"Whoever pays the bill wants the thrill?"

"That's it. I guess if we want to see if they're an item we'll have to stick around until they're done."

"Mm-um-yum. Mmhm!" Nick agreed behind a mouthful of flaky fish. He was in heaven. I don't think he had eaten like that since the Loose Slot Hustle at The Palm Casino in 2005. Good times.

Back to the wolves: "You know, Aurelina, I was so glad when I heard you were endorsing the Order of the Bared Fang. Your father was an extremely important member." Fangschild said, pouring another glass of red wine and nudging it toward Mayor Canidae.

Nick feigned a look of shock. "Bingo. I knew something was up. Hear that Judy? An Order, and they're not talking about the drive thru at Chez Cheez." Truthfully? I think Nick was more worried than anyone that the new mayor would turn out to be another corrupt, villainous, maniacal wolf in sheep's- okay bad metaphor. But it was Nick who wanted Zootopia to really change. To really accept mammals like him.

"It seemed natural. I don't know where else I could have secured the support for the legislation I have planned. So many prey seem so… eager to view us as 'monsters' lurking in the woods, and blowing pigs' houses down. You know some pigs still refuse to live in houses made of anything less than brick?" Aurelina seemed passionate about whatever she was discussing with the other wolf. This Fangschild guy, though, he barely seemed to be listening, except when he was doing the talking.

Judy put a paw to her ear as the other lifted another slice of carrot to her mouth. She pressed the listening device in a bit more, the directional mic piercing rather clearly through the din of the crowded restaurant.

"Nick."

"Yes, Carrots?"

"Is that your foot?"

Her eyes sought to meet his, but Nick was looking anywhere but at her. She was sure he had been rubbing his foot against her leg under the table. At least he was enjoying himself, even if it meant acting half his age.

As the night drew on, Nick and Judy shared a dessert of fried bananas and chocolate sponge cake. Nick had convinced her to go in on it, saying "If we're gonna look the part we need to go all in on something. Dessert is the dinner date equivalent of a marriage proposal."

"Nick…"

"Judy?"

"Do you think… Do you think I'll know when I'm in love?"

Nick made a show of spitting out his water – back into the glass of course to avoid making a mess. He wasn't ready for that question. No one was ready for that question. Judy's own mother probably wasn't prepared for that question.

"Well… Ah… Judy, listen. Love isn't a sense. It's actions. It's comfort. It's kindness. When you find your someone, the someone who does little things for you when they don't matter, and big things when they do… you'll know. You'll know because they'll be in love too… And you won't be like those wolves."

"What?" Judy turned her head to see the Mayor and her date getting up from their table. The wolf was placing his credit card back into his wallet, and Mayor Aurelina was taking her tan Preyda purse off the back of her chair. A wolf with a Preyda bag? I would have thought she'd have a Pucci bag. The broad shouldered specimen of masculinity took the mayor by the wrist and started leading her out before she was ready, causing her to stumble slightly in her heels as she tried to keep up.

Huh, that wasn't right.

"Finish your bite Nick, we're following them."

Nick swallowed audibly. If only he knew where this night was going to take him.


	3. Chapter 3

**20:00 Hours – Downtown Zootopia**

"You think he got her drunk?"

"I think _he's_ drunk."

"Ugh, wish we could drink on the job. What's the use of sending us to a restaurant in formal attire if we can't drink?"

Judy didn't answer. She kept walking, tailing the mayor and this "Fangschild" guy at about a half-block. Nick was just trying to cover up how nervous he was – same as always. They hadn't done anything close to an undercover assignment before, and he couldn't shake the feeling that if this was all for nothing, city hall would demand his and Judy's badges. There wouldn't be anything he could do to protect his partner from that.

"Nick." Judy asked, not taking her eyes off the target. She was fighting to keep her ears from popping up out of habit, but her nose was twitching like mad.

"Judy?" Nick replied, keeping the carrot mic pointed in the direction of the two wolves.

"I've never heard of this 'Order' before. Have you ever heard anything about them?"

Nick's ears fell back. He moved one paw up, pointlessly adjusting his bowtie to buy himself some time to think. "Maybe…" He began. "But secret societies don't play much in the streets. They like to operate behind closed doors. When I said I knew everybody? I sure as sahara don't know him." He gestured at the wolf with the carrot pen.

As they talked, the mayor and her date were talking too:

"Where are you taking me? Don't you have a driver for this? I don't wear heels like this to do a 5K at night." Canidae protested, pulling, but locked in his grip. I wished Nick and Judy had intervened then, but I know for a fact they wouldn't have been able to keep a rich guy like that in jail for more than a few hours.

That, and it would blow their cover.

"Miss Canidae," Fangschild replied, "do you have any idea how many wolves want you? Let me at least show you an evening with the best of them. I guarantee you'll not forget me like other suitors."

Even without the mic, Nick and Judy could hear the mayor scoff from where they were.

"Please! What is it, money? Power? You want to sleep your way into my cabinet? You're barking up a terribly agitated tree, Fangschild." She snapped.

"Oh it's barely about the money, Aurelina. You are your father's daughter, your _pedigree_ is beyond reproach. The wolf who bags the only remaining Canidae – pity about your father, he was a great man – absorbs her household, her fortune, her nobility, her _name_ into his." The wolf sounded serious, sharing this information as if she should have already known it.

"Pack _nonsense_." Aurelina said curtly before continuing. "My father was a monster and… And… If you knew what he did for the sheep, you'd be cursing his name right now!"

That caused Fangschild to stop in his tracks. "Sheep? Well now, it seems I've got a bargaining chip. What would the Order say if their little _princess_ and her dead king's reputation were dragged through the mud? Why, if they get wind of this, your family name will be struck from the Annals of Alpha. Now be a good girl and come hither fore I scruff you like a pup." He pulled Canidae roughly toward an alley, patience lost.

Judy's eyes widened, her ears popping up as she bolted ahead of Nick, leaving him to blink in reaction before following suit. Ahead of him, Judy rounded the corner into the alley, shouting,

"Stop right there, criminal scum!"

Her jaw dropped.

The alley was empty.

Seconds later, Nick appeared behind her, tail bristled and ears up.

"Nick, where'd they go?" The alley was barren save for a dim light hanging overhead and a dumpster. Nick took a few steps forward, pocketing the carrot mic and trying to keep his mind off the image of Judy running in that slit dress. He leaned up and knocked on the dumpster, rolling his head around in annoyance before continuing further down the alley.

"I… don't think that dumb-dumb was the type of guy to hole up in one of these. Too much _pride_." Nick muttered dismissively, scoping out the alley with his superb night vision.

"Nick, did you hear what he was saying to her?" Judy asked, tapping her foot anxiously. "Feeding her all that nonsense? I didn't know wolves had such an… elaborate courting procedure."

"Judy, come on, did you hear her? This wasn't courting. This was… this was the lead up to a felony is what this was. And what were they saying about _sheep_? I- hold it." Nick stopped in his tracks. "Carrots." He delighted in calling Judy that, I think he must have thought it was some kind of in-the-field codename he could get away with. Little did he know Carrots herself had grown to like it just as much. "Door on the left side of the alley."

Judy bounded forward, stopping at Nick and fishing the mic out of his pocket before switching it back on and pointing it at the door.

Sounds of a struggle from within.


	4. Chapter 4

**20:30 Hours – Downtown Zootopia; Inside Bared Fang Community Center 22B**

Okay, this is the part of the story where Judy busted the door down. She backpedaled to give herself some distance, then-

What, you don't believe me? Fine. Nick and Judy inched toward the door, and Nick, feeling more protective of his partner than usual, elected to open the door first. He used a light touch, glad the metal door didn't creak as he opened it just wide enough to let himself and Judy slip through.

Actually, let me back up. You know how those wolves were talking about "The Order of the Bared Fang?" Well, I found out about it. Turns out they're a wolf-supremacy organization with chapters all over the city. Now, they'd never tell you that bit about the supremacy, but they've got a file in the ZPD archives and boy does it sound shady. Clandestine meetings, choosy membership, the whole thing. Turns out our Mayor Canidae is a member.

Honestly? It didn't surprise me when I found out. Wolves can be such packheads.

Anyway, the building was dark inside, and I mean dark. Nick and Judy could hear the voices of the mayor and her date, and they weren't talking. They were shouting. It was unintelligible; a half-barked verbal altercation that sounded like it was about to get physical, or already had. Dark didn't much bother Nick Wilde. He took Carrots by the paw and began to guide her through it, while taking in the surroundings. It was a recreational area, looking like a meeting room with offices connected. Whatever the wolves did here, they probably didn't like other mammals snooping on them – especially not cops. Nick spied more than a few instances of the Order insignia, a nasty set of wolf's teeth facing forward, emblazoned on ribbons, framed certifications, and even a few fez caps lying around.

"Nick, it sounds like they're upstairs." Judy said quietly, voice collected but with an underlying tinge of sympathetic concern. Judy could rarely help getting emotionally involved in cases with victims. It was the same bleeding heart Nick had but so often tried to hide with humor…

The two cops prepared themselves, with Judy sliding her paw up under her dress to remove her dart gun from its garter holster. The soft light coming from up the flight of stairs gave her just enough illumination to brave going first. Nick slid his paw into the breast of his suit coat, gripping the handle of a stun gun and slowly pulling it out from its place in a shoulder holster.

"Carrots, let's do the up down swing around. I go high, you go low. If he tries to bolt, I glow 'em and you K.O. 'em." Nick whispered, grinning despite himself. He'd wanted to say that for so long.

Judy nodded, nose twitching, "Nick, remember he's got a hostage. The mayor of Zootopia. Try not to hit her, okay?"

"She's full-figured, that could be difficult."

"Nick!" Judy found herself shout-whispering often with Wilde for a partner.

Their feet moved perfectly in sync with each other's, ascending the staircase in practiced fashion. It wasn't either of their first suspect ambush, but it always made their tails bristle and mouths dry.

"…for years. And you spurn the advances of every eligible wolf who you would be _lucky_ to have! Why?!" Fangschild's voice was a growl, the growl of a man who didn't expect an answer to his question. The growl of a man who had already made his decision.

When Mayor Canidae's scream filled the stairwell, Nick and Judy scrambled to the top, trying not to fall over one another as they reached the top. Without hesitating, each chose one of the closed doors at the top of the stairwell. Well-placed kicks to the area of the lock broke open the doors in tandem. Once Nick saw the room he was staring into was an empty supply closet, he darted to Judy's side in a smooth motion, action and thought one and the same.

"Freeze!" Came Judy's cop-voice.

"You son of a bitch." Nick added, half in disbelief.

It was another office, full of file cabinets and an old-fashioned desk. One lamp cast a confined cone of light into the room, revealing he figures of the two wolves. Mayor Canidae was crumpled against a side table adjacent to a wall, a window just above it letting the moon hit her with its own silvery light. She was on her knees, one arm resting on the table as if trying to prop herself up. Nick and Judy could see fur matted with blood around her mouth and nose, and droplets like black holes on the floor. Her dress was torn and stained red, her coat tossed into the corner.

Fangschild turned. He was standing directly in front of Aurelina, clothing disheveled, back rising and falling as he inhaled sharply.

"What is the meaning of this?" He growled, retaining what little composure he had left. "Is that the voice of an officer of the law I hear? What do you play at here, officer? Are you arresting lovers for their passion together, now?" The whites of his eyes darted back and forth between Nick and Judy.

"Put your hands up, and back away from the mayor. Lay down on the floor." Judy ordered, refusing to bat an eye at the much larger predator's flippant tone.

"Better do what she says buddy, she's got a hare trigger." Nick sa- oh, no, that sounded awful, who could make jokes at a time like this? No way Nick said that. Nick said, "Back away from her. _Now_."

Fangschild chortled under his breath, "If I'm not going to listen to a fox, what makes either of you think I'm going to listen to a _bunny_? I'm a wolf, you peons. Wolves are the true inheritors of this city. I was just making sure her _highness_ here understands that. Wasn't I, Miss Canidae?"

The mayor shuddered. "Adelhard… stop this madness!" She pleaded breathlessly, lacking the strength to pull herself up and move away from him.

Fangschild didn't give anyone time to assess the situation properly after that. The powerfully built wolf leapt from his place standing over Aurelina, pouncing toward Nick and Judy. His claws were outstretched, a horrid growl rumbling from his throat. Judy fall to the side instinctively, her tiny body easily slipping out of the way. Nick wasn't so lucky.

I want to say Nick was able to pirouette out of the way while shooting the wolf square between the eyes with the tranquilizer gun, but that's just not how it went. Fangschild fell on him like a ton of bricks, paws clutching his shoulders and jaws snapping at his throat as he frantically moved his head and kicked his feet. He pinned Nick to the ground with his weight, hot breath blasting into his face like the output of a furnace.

You'll never believe this part, but I think Nick's bowtie saved his life.


	5. Chapter 5

**1:00 Hours – Downtown Zootopia, Blaireau Bonbons**

Judy tilted her head in disbelief. "Did you really just say that?" She asked, before popping another tiny lemon macaron into her mouth.

"100%. I love you. No stutter, no hesitation. I love you, Judith Laverne… Hopps." Nick grinned, the smooth fox reaching out across the white-painted bronze café table between them, and placing his paw on hers. "This is the part where you say, 'Oh, Nick! I've been waiting months to hear you say that!'"

Judy laughed gently, "Well… Nick, you do know I already knew you loved me, right? Come on." She took her other paw and set it atop his, stroking the back of his paw softly. It felt good. It felt right. "The long 'glances' on movie night? The way you stand up straight when I walk into a room? The way you tried to get in with my parents by buying them that ad space on the side of that building? 'Hopps Family Farm, No Excuse for This Produce, It's Paw Lickin' Good?' You think I'd forget that?"

Nick was ready. He was suave, and so handsome in a button-up under a vest with a classic pawsley print. He simply replied, "That was just my way of showing you how much Nick Wilde cares about Judy Hopps. Now we're going to have our first kiss, aren't we?"

Judy, cheeks and ears shifting to an ever so slight shade of red, couldn't help but tap one foot against the leg of her char. "It's about time, Nick." She said, in a softer, sweeter tone than usual. I couldn't believe it, but she was finally about to kiss him. As he leaned across the table, she started to close those amethyst eyes of hers, her delicate little mouth opening just a sliver in anticipation, drawing ever closer to Nick's lips until-

What?! Oh, you weren't… You weren't wanting to read about Nick and Judy kissing? Are you sure? It just… Well, it just seems like when you come to a place like this, you're looking to… Okay, you know what? Nevermind. I'll get back to the drama story. I'll tell the love story later. But listen to me. Okay? Read carefully:

What you just read absolutely happened. Completely real. Totally not a fabrication I mean, this isn't a house of lies, it's a reputable website where people upload absolutely factual…

Fine. Fine!

I'll get back to the other story.

I just feel like Clawhauser would really like this other one when I show it to him, he's a sucker for slice of life romance stuff like that and you know he's always asking Nick and Judy when they're going to cook up a little office romance between each other and I think there's a betting pool but he's been so cagey about that. I say, 'Clawhauser disband the betting pool!' and he says, 'What bedding pool?" And I just-

Right, woopsie.

The other story.


	6. Chapter 6 - Final

Author's note: Here it is, the last installment of this fic. I'll be happy to write another sometime! This is my first time ever writing a fic EVER for any fan-thing, so I hope you find it well-written. As always, favorites are welcome, reviews very appreciated!

Did the narrator surprise you?

* * *

 **20:45 Hours – Downtown Zootopia; Inside Bared Fang Community Center 22B**

Nick screeched and snarled at the enormous predator on top of him. A fox was a fool to fight a wolf. But Nick Wilde? He was no fool.

Nick Wilde had a bunny.

With the mayor gasping in horror behind her, Judy leapt into action. She took aim and fired a shot, a tranquilizer dart, into the wolf's side… and watched in horror as he continued to claw and bite at Nick, unfazed.

"Nick!" She cried helplessly.

As Nick fought the weight of the wolf over him, panting and seeing in shades of red, he felt claws dig deeper, drawing blood from points on his arms. Fangschild's jaws drew wickedly close to Nick's neck, and the chomping teeth snatched at him. Nick was ready to die. Then, he felt the wolf pulling on his neck, ripping it-

Fangschild had gotten hold of Nick's bowtie. Pulling with all his lupine might, the big lug inadvertently jerked himself away Nick when the tie broke.

"Huh, you hate those things too?" Nick observed with a dastardly grin.

The wolf's head whipped back, startled, and Nick took that moment to slide a taser from the holster under his arm, and plug it into the wolf's chest like a bent plug into a faulty socket.

The shock turned the wolf into a bundle of randomly spasming muscles. It was enough to incapacitate him long enough for the tranquilizer to begin taking effect, especially after Judy shot him with another one for good measure. Panting, sweating, with his suit disheveled and his fur tousled, Nick was alive. Judy couldn't help herself, throwing her arms around him for a brief moment of celebration for his safety. Then, the task at hand returned to the forefront of her mind. With the briefest peck on Nick's cheek, she moved away from the kneeling fox and marched dutifully to the mayor, who had watched the entire scene.

Mayor Canidae was aghast, breathing rapidly and holding one paw to her blooded muzzle, the other to her side.

"Mayor Canidae, are you… Nick! Call a bus!" Judy began to speak tenderly, but found herself shouting over her shoulder to Nick. Nick, for the record, was already on it, using his wire to radio in their location. He narrowed his eyes as he watched Judy's interaction with the larger predator, protectively anticipating a backlash. After all, they were spying on her, even if they had helped in the end. His paws fished a pair of handcuffs out from the breast of his suit, and he began to handcuff Fangschild.

Instead, the mayor flinched and withdrew when Judy's paw reached out to her. Realizing her own reaction, the wolf's ears lowered in embarrassment. The adrenaline falling off, Aurelina shut her eyes tightly, lips curling as she fought tears. She clutched her torn dress to her body. Judy remorsefully went to fetch her coat from the corner of the room, bringing it back to her and placing it down beside her. The bunny hadn't had much experience with direct victims of crimes, but helping raise two hundred and seventy-five brothers and sisters gave her some insight into how best to help someone who was afraid of help. Up close, Judy noticed something peculiar about the mayor's features. Her ears were large for a wolf, her muzzle more graceful

Slowly, delicately, Judy began to explain the situation, looking over her shoulder at Nick. Smartly, the fox had decided to keep his distance from the mayor, and keep tabs on the unconscious wolf.

"My partner called in an ambulance, it should be here any minute. We need to ask you some questions about what happened. Mayor Canidae, my partner and I were sent here tonight to keep an eye on you, to keep you safe." Judy said, trying to look the wolf in the eyes.

"…then you failed." Aurelina replied, her voice low and shaking with sobs.

 **10:00 Hours – Zootopia Precinct 1**

"And special congratulations go to Officers Hopps and Wilde for being on the scene last night. According to their deposition, they were able to put a stop to a man assaulting the mayor. She'll probably give you two medals." Bogo's voice was brimming with professional pride. Respect. Not something he often showed, especially not in the briefing room. "You're dismissed. Continue to work on your assignments. Hopps, Wilde, keep me updated on that Bared Fang investigation."

A few pats on the back later, Nick and Judy were at their respective desks, seated across from each other. The bullpen was as busy as usual, the thundering stomps of enormous pachyderms providing a rumbling bass background for unending chatter and phone calls between mammals, most if not all related to ongoing cases.

"Judy, listen…" Nick began, always the one to try and smooth out the bunny's feelings. Judy was despondent. The way her ears hadn't stood up since the previous night made it obvious. In the end she had done some good, but to her it had been too late. Too late to stop the lasting damage. Too late to help the victim. Most often, the crimes she prevented weren't violent. Thefts, speeding… This time? This time she had looked a victim in the eyes and saw the damage done by her ineptitude.

"Don't start, Nick. It happened." Judy cut Nick off, shaking her head and starting at her case files.

"I know. We did what we could. It would have been much worse if we weren't on their tails. Besides. Have you seen her speeches? She was a tough one to get through all that mud raking in the election. I never thought we'd have a predator mayor again. She'll get through this too. Come on, sly bunny, you were putting your all into it. You're still a hero." Nick tried his best to alleviate the guilty feelings he knew were filling Judy's head. In truth, he felt many of them too. How could he not? Had they just followed a little closer, not gotten stuck in that alleyway…

"Nick, we've got to get used to this. This is what's going to happen… If we're going to make the world a better place, we've got to be strong when we miss a step." Judy was speaking more to herself than to Nick, thinking out loud. Still, Nick appreciated the words. A guilty conscience was a guilty conscience, former conman or not.

"Well said, fluff." Nick nodded, keeping an eye on her for an extra moment just to be sure she really believed her own words. "All right, then let's crack this case open. It's going to be awhile before we can question the mayor, if she lets us question her. She wasn't… Well, she wasn't cooperative, but we have to understand why, and respect that. As it is, we have no leads on this Bared Fang organization. And what really has my tail twirling? Do you remember when they mentioned the sheep?"

"I thought that was strange…" Judy replied, secretly distressed that their work unraveling Bellwether's conspiracy was just the beginning.

"Well, it's not clear what sheep they meant," Nick continued, elbow on his desk and paw on his cheek as he turned the pages of the case file over. "But if it's a feud between wolves and sheep, the Brotherhood of Baa are our second best lead."

Judy lifted her head, eyes wide, "The charity organization? They give college kids grants and do relief work, there's no way they're crooked!"

Nick shook his head, twisting the corner of his mouth in chagrin, "Carrots, if there's one thing, _one_ thing you let me teach you about people, about organizations, about everything, let it be this: everyone's a little crooked."

* * *

So there you have it. Your first taste of our run in with a few of the power players in the shadows of Zootopia. Sure, we didn't make any progress in the case on the mayor, but after what happened to her, it's doubtful she's this city's biggest problem. Judy and I had a wonderful dinner, connected a little bit, and stumbled upon a whole mess of clandestine activity… but that whole bit about our first kiss? Well, that was all a lie – you're smart enough to realize that, right?

Trust me, when Nick Wilde shares his first kiss with Judy Hopps, it'll be far more spectacular than that.

I'll make sure she never sees it coming. After all, us foxes are supposed to prey on rabbits.

Aren't we?


End file.
